Period Main event(s).
-1859 The first tunnels under the Thames.
1860-1869 The first two companies opened their lines, Metropolitan and Metropolitan District.
1870-1879 The first (unsuccessful) tube: The Tower Subway.
1880-1889 Metropolitan and Metropolitan District extensions out to the NW and SW suburbs, respectively.
1890-1899 The first (successful and/or electric) tube: City & South London Railway. Waterloo & City opened.
1900-1909 Five lines opened: Central, Northern City, Bakerloo, Piccadilly and Charing Cross Euston & Hampstead, now part of Northern.
1910-1919 Bakerloo reached Watford. East London line as we know it today opened.
1920-1929 Northern line extensions.
1930-1939 Piccadilly line extensions.
1940-1949 Central line extensions.
1950-1959 Not much happened, due to financial restrictions after the war.
1960-1969 Victoria line opened.
1970-1979 Jubilee line opened.
1980-1989 Bakerloo line contracted and extended.
1990- Jubilee line Docklands extension opened.
Transport for London official home page
Clive Feather's UndergrounD Line Guides
London Underground Railway Society
Douglas Rose's historical web site
This page updated 2007-07-26